Kosovo is expected to permanently lose the amount of 68,8 million euros from the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans if, by the end of June this year, it does not fulfill the reform steps that had a deadline of mid-2025 with a gray period until June 30 this year. KOHA learns from sources in Brussels that other countries will also lose considerable amounts if, by this deadline, they do not fulfill the obligations that were set in the Reform Agenda, which is a condition for the use of these funds.
An EU source said that Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos sent a letter late last week to all six countries in the Western Balkans region that are beneficiaries of funds from the Growth Plan, warning them that they will lose these funds if they do not meet the conditions by the specified deadline.
"The Commissioner has warned the partners about the need to accelerate reforms in order to benefit from the funds foreseen by this Plan. We recall that the gray deadline for the steps that were supposed to be completed by mid-2025 expires on June 30 of this year. While for the steps that were supposed to be completed by the end of 2024, it ends by the end of 2026. If the deadlines are not respected, the partners risk losing over 700 million euros together," said a source from the European Commission.
Kosovo just started receiving the first pre-financing payments from the Western Balkans Growth Plan last week. These first funds started to be paid to Kosovo after many delays caused by the political deadlock in 2025, when there was no possibility of ratification of the loan and fund agreements between Kosovo and the EU.
According to one estimate, Kosovo will lose 68,8 million euros in June. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has not yet benefited from this plan, will lose the most funds. It will also lose 373,9 million euros.
These funds will be lost in June, while by the end of the year the losses could be even greater if the obligations are not met. According to a table for monitoring the fulfillment of the conditions of the Growth Plan, Kosovo has not fulfilled any of the 11 steps foreseen. So 0 out of 11 steps. Therefore, the risk that Kosovo will lose large funds is great if action is not taken quickly.
t7 live
